Heat exchanger unit



I United States Patent [111 3,538,984

[72] Inventor Paul Leopold Klflermlnll 2,599,965 6/1952 Young 165/151X- 101 Bernstnue, 3053 Muenchenbuellaee, 1,831,533 11/1931 Hubbard 165/166 Switzerland 2,024,496 12/1935 Young..... l65/l8lX [2|] Appl. No. 129,322 2,189,652 2/1940 Lehman l65/182X [22] Filed May 15, 1968 3,426,176 2/ 1969 Simon 165/166X [45] Patented 1970 5 Primary Examiner--- Robert A. OLeary ,[32] Priomy 1967 Assistant ExaminerTheophil W. Streule [33] swmgrlmd I Attorney-Shlesinger, Arkwright & Garvey [3]] 7/70/67:

[54] HEAT EXCHANGER UNIT ABSTRACT: large transverse parallel plate finned heat 4 cum. 3 Dumb Figs exchanger section 18 constructed with a pluralltv of transverse horizontal spaced rows of vertically aligned fluid-conducting [52] US. Cl i 165/182 tubes of flat cross section soldered to the Parana] plates to 7 F285 1/30 form a bracing bar construction which will permit the [50] Field of Search 165I166(Cur.), exchange,- to be readily cut m a number f Small units along a vertical plane extending through the center of the flat tubes in a given row. Flat tubular support pieces disposed in spaced [56] Rem-cums Cited vertical rows extending through the parallel plates can also be' UNITED STATESPATENTS used independently of the fluid-conducting tubes extending 1,823,993 9/1931 Stanford 165/ 182X therethrough to permit cutting of sections in a vertical plane 2, 3/1939 You!!! l 32X along these pieces without disturbing the fluid-carrying tubes.

Patented Noir.10,197o 3,538,984

Sheet 1 of 2 mp W m W WWW wnwrqn Paul KASERMAAl/V INVENTOR.

Poul Kasermonn Sheet of 2 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 HEAT ExcnANcER usrr DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION This invention relates to finned heat exchanger units.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide for u finned heat exchanger unitwhich can readily be divided into a number of smaller sized heat exchanger units.

It is a still further to provide a simple large heat exchanger block which can readily be divided into a number of smaller heat exchanger units without damage to the units.

It is a still further-object of this invention to provide a spe .cial reinforcing construction to a finned parallel plate heat exchanger unit which will permit the heat exchanger unit to be cut without damaging thefin structure-ofthe units.

In the past, it has been customary to mount such heat exchanger units singly in the size desired. This approach requires considerable time and is costly. It has been suggested previously to initially mount theheat exchanger unit to multiple unitwidthlandthen cut such unit to smaller sizes to obtain a plurality of units. This technique has not worked satisfactoris ly in t he pastbecause of the thinness of the plates or fins,

,which in some instances may be only .1 millimeter in thickness so that they are usually .bent out of line even when a low cutting .speedis used.

To avoid this difficulty in the past elongated holes were ,made in the plates along a possible line of severance to reduce the cutting required and thus simplifythe severance problems encountered. il-lowever this approach did not overcome the risk of bending the edges of the parallel plates, nor overcome the frictional problems associatedwith cutting.

The present invention seeks to improve the heat exchanger constructionin such a way that small units can be severed from a largerheat'exchanger block efficiently and economically without damage to the units severed.

Consequently, substantial costs savings are realized by avoiding the need for special sized units, and by providing a simple method of severing smaller sized heat exchanger units fromalargeblock. without damage to the separated pieces DESCRl PTION or THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGQI, aheat exchanger block unit is shown comprising on one hand a plurality of thin-walled tubes of flat cross section which are arranged in rows and parallel to each other for the passage of the heat carrier, and on the other hand n lurality of parallel plates or tins soldered to said tubes and noting its air baffles; smaller units are formed by severing the heat exchanger block into a smaller unit width.

Heat exchanger units of the type indicated are used mainly in the construction of vehicles orfor stationary use as coolers. The use ofsuch units as room-heating radiators, however, also is feasible.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows horizontally extending flat tubes Lofa heat exchangerunit form vertical and horizontal rows and are m adefof tinned brass, and the outside cross section has a width of 2 millimeters and a height of 12 millimeters. The wallthickness is .25 millimeters, and the horizontal distance from tube center to tube center is millimeters. The tubes 1 are ,fixedwith respect to each other by the fins 2 .rnounted thereon and serving as air-conducting baffles. The fins 2 are, of .l millimeter thickness, are closely spaced and are made of leaded sheet iron. In the planes of the vertical longitudinal sidefaces 3 and 4, of the unit are arranged tube half portions 1a of a verticalrow of tubes (only the face3 is visible). The tube halves 1a are made by joining tubes 1 and baffl'es 2 to form a block not. shown) of multiple unit width, then are soldered to each other and subsequently cut up into units of the desired size. The saw cuts are passed through the middle of vertical tube rows. Due to the flat tube cross section and a correspondingly measured width of cut, there result the flat end or terminal strips in which thus are countersunk in recesses provided in the fin edges. These strips 1a stabilize or brace the longitudinal side faces 3, 4 or respectively the edges of the baffles 2 which form said faces. Such stabilizing or bracing is effective during the process of separation and later on against mechanical stresses. The end faces of the unit are formed by end plates 5 of which only one is visible in the drawing.

In accordance with the present invention, the longitudinal sides of the heat exchanger unit can also be stabilized by means of flat bars extending parallel to the tubes, countersunk in recesses of the, cross leaf edges and soldered to the cross leaves as shown in H0. 3.

According to a further aspect of the invention, in the method of producing the present heat exchanger unit, when mounting a heatexchanger block comprising tubes and cross leaves and being of multiple unit width, stabilizing bars are bend during the severing operation which can proceed at high speed. A further advantage is that the longitudinal sidefaces produced by severing a block into several units, are stabilized at once by the halves of said bars, Le. the mutual distances of the separating edges of the cross leaves are defined on the half portions of the stabilizing bars and protected from being bent due to mechanical influences, which is highly important for stocking, for transport and even in the mounted condition of the elements.

To raise the cutting speed and for reasons of saving material it is recommended to use flat hollow bars for stabilizing, so that for each bar'only double the wall thickness has to be cut through. Further advantages are obtainable by passing the cuts for subdividing a block having multiple unit width through any vertical rows of tubes for the passage of the heat carrier. In the last-mentioned type of fabrication it is not necessary to insert special stabilizing bars into the block. The only requirement is that the superjacent tubes are in vertical flights. In this manner one is entirely free in the choice of the unit width which may be any multiple of the horizontal distance of two adjacent vertical rows of tubes.

The invention is very significant for the use of 'heat exchanger unit as room-heating radiator. Although units of different widths are required for different building projects,

ble for the first time to open the heating field or branch in an economical way and manner to a heat exchanger unit built up in the manner of an automobile radiator.

While the invention has been described, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A heat exchanger unit comprising:

a. a plurality of heat exchanger fins of parallel thin gage sheets of heat-conducting material forming a block having top, bottom, front, rear and sidewalls;

. a plurality of vertically spaced recesses formed in said sidewalls;

c. a plurality of laterally spaced vertical rows of vertically spaced conducting tubes extending transversely through said heat exchanger fin and rigidly secured to said heat exchanger fins;

d. a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extending individual bracing elements in said recesses and rigidly secured to said heat exchanger fins; and

e. each of said bracing elements comprising approximately one-half of a longitudinal vertical section of said conducting tubes.

2. A heat exchanger unit as in claim 1 and wherein said conducting tubes are substantially flat in cross section.

3. A heat exchanger unit as in claim 2 and wherein: a. the flat side of said conducting tubes are vertical; and

b. said vertical rows of conducting tubes are substantially equally spaced.

4. A heat exchanger unit comprising:

a. a plurality of heat exchanger fins of parallel thin gage sheets of heat-conducting material forming a block having top, bottom, front, rear, and sidewalls;

b. a plurality of vertically spaced recesses formed in said sidewalls;

a plurality of laterally spaced, vertical rows of vertically spaced conducting tubes extending transversely through said heat exchanger fins and rigidly secured to said heat exchanger fins; and

d. a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending individual bracing elements in said recesses and rigidly secured to said heat exchanger fins, and each of said bracing elements comprising approximately one-half of a longitudinal vertical section ofa solid bar. 

